On June 12th, the New York City Department of Education (DOE) Division of Early Childhood Education (DECE) released a Request for Proposals (RFP) for eligible high-quality Family Child Care Networks (“Networks”) to implement early childhood care and education programs for children. This RFP is the third in a series of RFPs that are part of the State’s initiative to develop a unified birth-to-five services system. This initiative combines the current DOE-contracted 3-K for All and Pre-K for All programs with the Administration for Children’s Services (ACS)-contracted EarlyLearn Programs.
Through this RFP, Networks may propose school day and year services for 3-year old children at sites located in any of the 32 community school districts within New York City. Networks may propose to provide either:
- 3-K for All School Day and Year Services and Extended Day and Year Services for children under 2 years, 2-year old children, and 3-K for All; or
- Extended Day and Year Services for children under 2 years, 2-year old children, and 3-K for All only.
Networks are comprised of a central administrative organization and a number of affiliated family child care providers. Applicants will receive funding for network administrative costs that will, on average, meet or exceed the average per-child funding currently provided to ACS-contracted networks offering similar days and hours of service. Awards may be used to fund the administrative, instructional, and other support activities of the Network and to pay affiliated providers for services offered to children and families. Network administrative costs for school day and year services will be adjusted to account for the reduced number of service days. Networks may propose limited start-up funding for Network and/or affiliated provider furniture and equipment.
Eligible applicants for funding include public or private not-for-profit or for-profit organizations who:
- Currently offer Network services as a part of an EarlyLearn contract, and who wish to continue services into the 2020-2021 school year and beyond; or
- Are not current EarlyLearn contractors but who would like to partner with the DOE to provide services beginning in the 2020-2021 school year.
Contracts will last for five years beginning July 1st, with the option to renew for up to three one-year extensions.
The full RFP is attached. Applications are due on August 12th. Questions may be submitted to PreKRFP@schools.nyc.gov.